Lock



W. O. COLEMAN.

LOCK.

APPLECATION FILED JULY 9. 1921.

' WITNESS:

Patented July 18 1922.

2 SHEETS-SHEET l.

Wmmm Q CQLQMQH lNV ENTOR ATTORNEY W. O. COLEMAN.

LOCK.

APPLICATION FILED JULY9, 1921.

1A23fi97 Patented July 18; N22.

SHEET 2.

2 S4HEETS \Milliam @floleman INVENTOR 5? I 0' BY W ITNESS: A'FFORNEY WILLIAM O. COLEMAN, OF INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA.

LOOK.

Application filed July 9, 1921.

locks, primarily designed for use in connec tion with safes, the invention residing in the construction, combination, and arrange- .ment of parts as claimed.

In the drawings forming part of this application, like numeralsof reference inclicate similar parts in the several views and wherein:

Figure 1 shows a rear elevation of a door .and a locking mechanism therefor.

Figure 2 is a detail view of the controlling element. Figure 3 1s a vertlcal sectional view through the safe and door with the latter closed.

Figure 4 is a horizontal sectional view therethrough.

Figure 5 is an enlarged fragmentary view ,Of the controlling element showing the manner in which it is associated with the door for rotary movement.

Figure 6 is an end elevation 01 the controlling element and the graduated plate in connection therewith. V

Figure 7 is a detail view of one of the-bolt operating elements. I

Referring to the drawings in detail, 10 indicates a'safe, the door of which is in dicated at 11. The door is of hollow con struction defining a compartment 12 for the lock mechanism forming the subject matter of theinvention. The mechanism being concealed-from view by means of a plate,

13 secured to the inner side of the door and forming one wall of the compart ment 12.

Arranged within the compartment 12 is a frame-like member in the form of a cross and indicated at 14. It will be noted that .all of the shafts and pivots for the different gears are bolt controlling elements and associated with this frame.

Arranged within the compartment 12 are spaced pairs of duplex gears, the gears oi one pair being indicated A, while the gears of the other pair are indicated at B. These gears are adapted to be singly rotated in the manner to be hereinafter dc Specification of Letters Patent.

of a link 23, while connected to oi the remaining Patented July 18, 1922. Serial No. 483,582.

scribed through the instrumentality oflthe controlling element illustrated in Figure 2. This element is in the nature of a bolt 15 which has its shank squared and slide.- ble through a rotatable bearing 16 operating within an opening in the door as clearly illustrated in Figure 5. The outer end of thebolt carries a knob or manipulating element 17, while the inner end of the bolt supports a pinion 18 which meshes with the gears above referred to, to rotate the latter. The controlling element is also guided in its movements by means of spaced parallel toothed guides indicated at 19 in Figure 1, and with which the teeth of thepinion mesh. The bolt 15 is graduated so that its degree of movement can be easily calculated in order to bring the pinion 18' into association with the proper set of gears as the occasion requires.

Each gear of the respective pairs are connected with one of the bolt controlling elements ofthe character illustrated in Figure 7, wherein it will be noted that each element has a configuration substantially the same asa cross, except that the branch 20 is slightly longer than the branch 21, while the branches 22 are of equal length. Each gear is connected to the long branchQO of these elements through the. instrumentality the terminals branches are reciprocatory rods 24,,each of which is associated with a locking bolt25 which is adapted to be projected through alined openings in the door 11 and the safe 10. Manifestly, each gear controls the operation of three of these bolts. It will be further noted that the bolt con trolling elements" are mounted upon the frame 14in pairs, the elements 17 of each pair being disposed one in advance ofthe other. I

Upon inspection of Figure 4, it will be noted that the teeth 26 ofthe gears A are disposed in alinement, but these teeth or" each gear is interruptedas at 27 for a purpose to be hereinafter described. The teeth 28 of one of the gears A are disposed slightly in advance of the corresponding teeth 28 of the other'gear A,so that the pinion 18 can be arranged to mesh with the teeth 28 of the respective gears singly. The teeth 29 of one gear B is also arranged out of alinement with the corresponding teeth so of the other gearB, for the same purpose just stated, that is to permit the pinion 18 to mesh with the teeth 29 and 30 of the respective gears to singly rotate the latter. The teeth 31 of the gears B are arranged in alinement and are also interrupted in the same manner as the teeth 26 of the gears A.

In practice, the controlling element 15 together with its pinion 18 slides through the bearing 16 and through the space be tween the group of gears as shown in Figure 1. In Figure 1, the bolts 25 are all extended to their locking position, and the pinion 18 of the controlling element is positioned between the interrupted portions 27 of the teeth 26 of the gears A, so that should the controlling element be rotated in either direction, the pinion 18 would remain free of the gears A and in no way effect the lock mechanism. However, when it is desired to unlock the safe, the controlling element 15 is moved outwardly through its bearing 16, until the pinion 18 meshes with the teeth 28 of one of the gears A, where upon the controlling element is rotated a predetermined distance which may be calculated by the graduated plate 32 inthe usual manner. When the actuating element has been rotated in this manner, one of the gears A is actuated to impart movement to the particular bolt controlling element with which it is associated, moving this element upon its pivot in a direction to retract the three locking bolts which is controlled by said element. The controlling element is then moved outwardly of the door throu h the bearing 16 until the pinion 18 is brought in a position to mesh with the corresponding teeth of the other gear A, whereupon the bolt is again rotated in a proper direction to impart movement to the particular bolt controlling element with which it is associated. Consequently, three more of the looking bolts 25 are retracted to their inactive positions. The controlling element is then again moved through the bearing 16 until the pinion is brought into mesh with the teeth 29 of one of the gears 13, whereupon the bolt is again rotated a predetermined distance to retract three more of the locking bolts, which are controlled by the crossshaped element associated with this particulargear. The controlling element is finally moved to bring the pinion 18 into mesh with the teeth 30 of the remaining gear B, whereupon the bolt is rotated to retract the remaining three locking bolts 25 in the manner above stated. The door is then unlocked, so that it can be swung upon its hinges to an open position and access had to the safe.

In order to lock the safe, the controlling element 15 is passed inwardly through the bearing 16, bringing the pinion 18 into mesh with the gears 26. By turning the controlling element in either direction, these gears 26 are simultaneously rotated and project six of the bolts to active position. The" pinion 18 is then brought into mesh with the gear 31, and in turning the controlling element in either direction, the other bolts are projected. The construction and operation of the mechanism is such that it would be impossible ior anyone to control the locking bolts in groups as above described, unless they were familiar with the particular combination and the manner of using the controlling element 15.

lVhile it is believed that from the foregoing description the nature and advantages of the invention will be readily apparent, I desire to have it understood that I do not limit myself to what is herein shown and described, and that such changes'may be resortedto when desired as fallwithin the scopeof what is claimed.

W'hat I claim is: 1; A combination lock mechanism including a plurality of locking bolts connected in groups, each group being movable independently of the other groups, spaced pairs. of gears, a connection between each gear'and one group of said bolts, a controlling element mounted for both sliding and rotary movements, and a pinion carrled by said element and adapted to mesh witheach gear, whereby said groups of bolts are singly controlled.

2. A combination lockingmechanism including a plurality of locking bolts I con-. nected in groups, each groupbeing movable independently of the other group, spaced pairs of duplex gears, a connection between each gear and one group of said bolts, a controlling element mounted for both sliding and rotary movements between the respective pairs of said gears, a pinion carried by said element, and the corresponding innermost teeth of each pair of gears being arranged out of alinement, whereby said pinion may mesh and operate each gear singly to control one group of said bolts as described.

3. Acombination lock mechanism including a plurality of locking bolts connected in groups, each group beingmovable. independently of the other groups, spaced. pairs of duplex ,7 gears, a controlling element mounted for both sliding and rotary m0vemerits in the space between said gears, a. connection between each gear and one group ofsaid bolts, a pinion carried by said con-v trolling element, the innermost corresponding teeth of each pair ofgears being arranged out of alinement, whereby said pinion may singly actuate said gear to control one group of bolts, and the corresponding outermost teeth of each pair of gears being interrupted, and adapted to have their interrupted portions oppositely disposed for the purpose specified.

1. A combination lock mechanism includ ing a plurality of locking bolts connected in groups, the connecting element for each group including a plurality of branches, one of which is associated with one bolt of said group, one group of bolts being movable independently of the other groups, spaced pairs of gears, a link joining each gear with one of said connecting elements, a lock controlling element mounted for both sliding and WILLIAM O. COLEMAN. 

